"He's a player that is meant for big spots"- Astros manager Joe Espada lauds Jose Altuve after his clutch homer against Red Sox

Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros began their series opener against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday, securing a stellar 8-4 victory.

Altuve initiated their 1-0 lead by scoring on Yordan Alvarez’s double-play grounder in the first inning. However, after that, the Astros' bats went cold, and they didn't score any runs for the next five innings.

They were trailing 3-1 when Altuve hit a 397-foot homer in the seventh inning, bringing in two runs for his team. It had an exit velocity of 98.9 mph and was Altuve’s 15th homer of the season.

When Houston Astros manager Joe Espada spoke with the media, he expressed his delight with Altuve’s performance.

“There's something about Jose [in a] big moment, where he raises to that level. He wants to be at that level. He wants to be the guy in the moment. And that's how everything starts, you’ve got to believe that you can come through for your team,” Altuve said via MLB.com.

“And you see Jose just getting big swings over and over again. Trust me, I don't get tired of them, and I will never get tired of watching him get big swings. He's just a player that is meant for big spots.”

After Altuve’s hit, the Astros offense continued to extend their lead. Jon Singleton and Jeremy Pena hit singles in the seventh inning, giving the team a 5-3 lead.

Alvarez hit an RBI double in the ninth inning followed by Yainer Diaz’s 448-foot homer that scored two runs. The Astros' offense went 16 for 41 with seven RBIs, three walks and four strikeouts.

Jose Altuve opens up about the 224th homer of his career

Altuve’s homer was the 224th of his career and he discussed it, along with his place in the Astros franchise's history, in an interview with MLB.com.

“It means a lot. The Houston Astros have been around for a long time, and to be able to play for this organization and hit that many homers, it’s just an amazing [feeling].”

In the 2024 season, Altuve has had a .299 batting average, hit 15 homers and driven in 50 RBIs.

The Houston Astros won again, 5-4, in their second game against the Red Sox. They will face each other in the series finale on Sunday.